Typically 3-D sensors with laser line triangulation are used for this application. These sensors are insensitive with respect to relative movements between object and sensor. However, in sensors of this type merely a line on the object to be measured in being measured. By moving the sensor or the object, however, many individual measurements can be performed that can be combined into a surface measurement.
However, it is also possible to use a surface 3-D sensor with two cameras and a projector that is used to project a pattern sequence. This is a photogrammetry method with a structured illumination that varies over time. A measurement can therefore detect a large surface so that a surface oriented 3-D measurement can be performed in a very short time, in particular compared to methods based on laser-line triangulation. However, methods of this type are very sensitive with respect to movements.